


Love Like Fools

by theartofnotwriting



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2014-06-08
Packaged: 2018-01-27 02:57:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1712423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theartofnotwriting/pseuds/theartofnotwriting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of completely unrelated one-shots about Meryl Davis and Charlie White.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tunnel Vision

It left his eyes sometimes, that spark, and they shined a duller blue. The fire left him, and he began to doubt. Was it really worth it? Could they actually do it? She felt it too, sometimes, and she wondered if he knew. She didn't know if he searched for it in her eyes like she lived for it in his. That spark. That fire. That fight. That drive. That passion. 

4 AM: Wake up. Drag yourself to the shower. Did you wash your hair yesterday? Eh, it can wait another day. It'll be up at practice anyway. Oh shit, practice. Gotta go. Get out of the shower now - no, I don't care if it's warm here and cold out there. You're going to be late. Do it for the gold medal.

4:30 AM: Okay brain, all you have to do is remember how to open this packaging and then stomach can have a nice yummy snack before practice. Come on now, I know you're tired but let's pull it together. Charlie, go away. It's early and I don't have time for your nonsense. I'm exhausted. Tie your skates now. Do it for the gold medal.

5 AM: Does she have to yell? Those twizzles weren't that out of sync. They couldn't have been. Yes, yes, Marina. Silver medal wasn't good enough, we said. You're right. Gold medalists aren't out of sync. Yes, Marina, we'll do it again. Yes, Marina, we will work on them more later on our own time. No, Marina, Charlie doesn't remember if we have a lifts lesson today because Charlie hasn't remembered things like that since before you've started coaching us, and you know that. Another diagonal step sequence. Another set of twizzles. Another full run through. Focus on the expression. Focus on the dance. Focus on the edges. Do it for the gold medal.

8 AM: Point your toes point your toes point your toes. Shoulders down. Extend extend extend. Long fingers. Posture. Plié. Plié. Plié. Charlie's grumbling to himself again. This helps our skating, Charlie. We want it. We want that gold medal more than anything. Plié. Do it for the gold medal.

9 AM: Why are there no blankets in this place? Don't they know it's cold? Blankets would be handy for naps in the rare twenty minute breaks, don't they know that by now? Charlie, why didn't you bring a blanket?

9:20 AM: Charlie Allen White, did you seriously just TRIP OVER YOUR TOEPICK?! Don't strangle him, don't strangle him, don't strangle him. Two more run throughs, really Marina?! It was one mistake! Don't kill her, don't kill her, don't kill her. Okay, last time, make it perfect. Don't rush. Extend more. Shoulders down, long arms. Point that toe. What do you mean we have to do it again?!? You said that was the last time!!! Okay, don't roll your eyes, let's go. Do it for the gold medal.

12 PM: You'd think half a turkey sandwich every single day would get old, but it tasted like heaven every time. Then the green apple. Then some yogurt that would be much more enjoyable if it was actually a chocolate brownie, but that's not what gold medalists eat, so it was just yogurt. Oh, look at that cute puppy on Instagram! No, Charlie, I don't have any extra food for you. Go get something from the vending machine if you're so hungry! Well, it isn't MY fault you forgot to bring extra money! No, you CAN'T borrow my dollar. We have to go; we're going to be late. No, you can't use my money even if you do share the chocolate with me. We can't eat that. Do it for the gold medal.

1 PM: Off-ice lifts aren't as fun as on-ice lifts. They don't feel like flying. The wind doesn't whip your hair around your face and you can't hear the beautiful scratch of blades underfoot. They stay stationary. They're not as fun. But it helps him, so we'll do it. For the gold medal.

2 PM: Charlie, stop complaining. This is what we need. Well I don't care if you feel silly, at least try and pretend you can act. Yes, we absolutely positively do need this acting class. Stop whining. Mirror exercises, go. Yes it does help our dances. Do it for the gold medal.

3:30 PM: Charlie, stop goofing off! We need to work on twizzles; we told Marina we would! No, I wasn't just humoring her. No, I don't care if you weren't serious when you agreed to it. Okay one more set. Just once more. Wait, that wasn't perfect; let's try one more time. Don't you dare tell me I'm as bad as Marina, Charlie White! Fine, let's run through that one step again. It wasn't totally solid this morning. Okay, calm down we can do some lifts next. CHARLIE STOP TALKING TO ALEX YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO GET SOME WATER GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW. Do it for the gold medal.

5:30 PM: What'd you bring for dinner? Ugh. Chicken is the best; you're so lucky. Charlie, give me some chicken. Yes, this is turkey again. It's not a sandwich this time though! Stop laughing!

6:30 PM: Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow Marina. Thanks, we tried our best today. Maybe that lift will work tomorrow. Okay, yes, Marina, we'll MAKE that lift work tomorrow. We have two more years to perfect it - okay, okay, I know. That's how silver medalists talk. We're not going to be silver medalists this time. Do it for the gold medal. 

8 PM: Charlie White, why on earth are you texting me right now when I just saw you an hour ago?! I'm kind of worried about it too. We're better than we were last time though; you know we haven't stopped improving. I think we can really do it this time. Our free is good, really good. I know that's not everything, I'm just focusing on the positive, Mr. Negativity. Yeah, it would suck to lose to them again. Shit. It's 9 now. Go to bed, we have to be at the rink earlier tomorrow. Yes I know you hate waking up early. Sometimes I wonder why we do it too. Remember how we felt in Vancouver though, Charlie? We did everything we felt we could and we got silver, which was still big, but we both know we want more. This time we're gonna do more than everything we can. This is our time, Charlie. They're not gonna outwork us; they're not gonna beat us this time. We're not gonna have to feel like it wasn't enough ever again. Remember what we told each other when we stepped off that podium, Charlie? We're going for gold.

February 18th, 2014  
Sochi, Russia

11:40 PM: I know you're nervous; I am too. It's normal to be nervous. We're ready. We've never been more ready. We can do this. Listen to the music. Enjoy the moment. Focus. Do it for us.


	2. Strong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl Davis did not cry.

Meryl Davis did not cry.

When she was nine years old and they forced her to skate with a boy (even though she TOLD them it was a bad idea), he skated over her pinky finger after she fell. Her coach rushed over to bring her to her mom, but when they got to her, she just stood up, brushed herself off, and asked for a band aid so she could keep skating.

When she was eleven, she was finally starting to open up and tried to start making friends (mostly at the rink, of course, because the other kids at school didn't understand). Just as she was making some headway in the friendship department, she heard the group of girls she'd started talking to. They said things like "poofy hair" and "weird face" and "ugly dress" and she knew they meant hers. She let the locker room door bang closed behind her and got onto the ice. Charlie looked up, ready to start practicing their new dance pattern. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

At thirteen, she had her first crush. The boy who worked at the food stand at the rink and gave her a free cookie when they got burnt (and tasted just as good). She didn't like the feeling of her face burning when she talked to him, and she didn't like the smoke-y thing he did outside on his breaks, but she did like the happy, swoopy feeling in her stomach when he was around, because it felt like going down the big hills on the rollercoasters at the park. And she was sure he felt the same way. That is, until he brought the girl with the tattoos and the shiny ring on her lip and the dark eyes to see where he worked. And she saw them kissing (gross!) outside with the smoke coming from the thing in his hand. So maybe he didn't like her after all. She went out with Charlie for pizza after skating and he used his quarter to buy her a plastic ring and she forgot about the smoke boy and the tattoo girl.

At nineteen, her first ever boyfriend broke up with her. His name was Liam and he had big brown eyes with hair to match and he wore the most comfortable sweatshirts and he was the smartest guy she'd ever probably met. She never really saw him though except for in classes, and she wasn't allowed to talk to him then because he was busy focusing on the lesson or whatever. Four months later, he told her it wasn't working out, and she was sad but figured she'd spoken to him for about a total of 10 minutes in the past month anyway, so it probably wasn't a terrible loss. Charlie ordered pizza and brought movies anyway, because he wanted a chance to support her and that's what partners do, so she let him.

Cup of Russia in 2008 was rough, to put it lightly. Most people forgot about it after a while, but it would be years before Meryl could let it go. They really screwed up. Charlie beat himself up for months, begging her to stay extra long at practice and promising he wouldn't do it again, but she didn't really mind. After they'd gotten off the ice, she threw her arm around him and patted his knee and they got their scores and that was that. They did better the next day. She was mad, sure, but it wouldn't happen again. They'd work harder. They'd be better.

Being the first American ice dancers to win a world gold medal was big, and they were proud. Proud of each other, proud of their commitment, proud of their hard work, proud proud proud. She hugged him and kissed his cheek and she swore her lips tasted a salty tear, but she didn't say a word. They waved and the people cheered, and she let him cover it up because he hated being weak and he hated when she was the only strong one.

Seventeen years was what everyone kept repeating. They whispered it in the village, they exclaimed it in interviews, they were shouting it from the rooftops. Meryl Davis and Charlie White culminate their seventeen year partnership with an Olympic gold medal. But she didn't really feel like "seventeen years" covered it properly. It wasn't just the years. It was the 4am wake up calls and sleepily tying their skates in the locker room. It was every time he lifted her up and spun her around and she felt infinite. Their lifts couldn't last forever, but sometimes she felt like they just might. It was the quiet lunches they shared when she'd show him pictures of cute dogs and he would watch hockey on his phone. It was the family dinners, the movie nights, the accidental sleepovers, the shared secrets, every laugh, every smile, every single second of it. Sure, that all happened in the seventeen years, but it just seemed too general to sum it up in those two words.

Winning Dancing with the Stars was great and she wouldn't have been happy with anything else and that trophy sure was cool, but none of it equaled a gold medal. It wasn't seventeen years of blood, sweat, and tears; it wasn't the feeling of finishing a free dance and feeling the cool rink air and hearing the applause. It wasn't with Charlie.

He wasn't Charlie.

Charlie went home after the show ended. He called her a few times for advice on house decorating and once to invite her to the housewarming party. It was really nice, she discovered when the media swarm ended and she finally got to visit. It was by a river and DJ loved having a big yard and it was close to home. Close to the rink. Close to her. They took DJ for a walk one day, just him and her. Tanith was out for the day. She missed it, and she told him so. She missed the training and the work and seeing him every day. She missed the show, because at least he was nearby. She missed them. He put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulders and DJ ran ahead to chase a bug she saw. Meryl leaned against his shoulder and sighed. Her vision blurred and she sniffled quietly, swiping at the wetness on her cheeks.

Meryl Davis did not cry.

But she cried for him.


	3. He Thought She Knew

He thought she knew.

He thought she knew how much he loved her and appreciated her and how grateful he was that he made it here with her by his side.

He told her he loved her as they hugged and it wasn't a big deal because she knew. She had to know.

She didn't know.

He was laying in the dark, supposed to be getting a few hours sleep so he wasn't completely out of it when they had one interview after another about their gold medal winning performance the next day. But how could he possibly sleep when his mouth wouldn't stop smiling and his head wouldn't stop replaying the beautiful music and his eyes wouldn't shut themselves? He wasn't sure he remembered how to sleep anymore. He wasn't sure if he wanted to.

But then a short little 110 pound girl crept through the door to their adjoining rooms and laid down next to him on the bed so they were both staring up at the ceiling.

Charlie smiled wider. "Can't sleep?"

"Are you kidding?"

"We did it," he said, stating what was rather obvious, but feeling the need to say it aloud again. "We won."

"You were great," she breathed back.

"You were, too."

"You said you loved me."

He tensed slightly. "Sorry. Was it a bad time? I could've waited, I mean, I should've. I'm sure the cameras caught it. They'll be asking about it now and people will think...."

"No, it wasn't bad. I was just surprised."

He looked over at her then and was surprised to see a tear sparkling in her eye. She looked at him and the motion caused it to fall out and onto the pillow. He sucked in a breath. 

"Surprised? Why?"

"I don't know. We never... We never really talk."

They didn't really talk; that was true. They just got it after all these years. She knew if he needed a break. He knew if she wanted to run through something again if it wasn't perfectly up to standards. It was a gem in interviews. They always loved hearing about how seventeen years had made them practically telepathic.

"But you knew. You know. You know, Meryl, right?"

She blinked.

"Meryl. You know I love you, right?"

"I love you, too, Charlie."

"But I didn't think I had to tell you! Can't you just... How could you not have known? I wouldn't want to be here with anyone else! I never could've done this with anyone else! Nobody else would put up with me. Nobody would take care of me like you do. I'm so...thank God I had you, Meryl Elizabeth Davis. I would've told you sooner. I would've found the right words. But I thought...."

"It's okay," she whispered, and took his hand. "I know now. I know."

"Love you," he answered shakily.

"Right back atcha, Olympic gold medalist."

That was how their moms found them when they came to wake them for their first interview, laying side by side, fingers laced together. Olympic gold medalists.


	4. One Bad Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years later they would be asked what was their summer guilty pleasure

"Ugh, those twizzles were not my best."

"Charlie, just think good thoughts."

Summer was a peaceful time for Meryl and Charlie. They got to train more often which they loved, and they got to spend more time together which they definitely enjoyed. Even though school was out for three months, their parents all still had work. There was no ice time for them until 7am, but in order for the moms and dads to be at work on time, Meryl and Charlie had to be at the rink at 6am sharp every morning. This involved more sleepy carpooling before sunrise and cereal-bar-breakfasts in locker rooms than they could count, but they enjoyed every minute of it. They would sit in the bleachers with Charlie's iPod between them and share his earbuds to listen to their new free dance music, and their eyes would dance in unison across the ice, visualizing what they would do once the lights came on and the session began. This was good, Marina told them, because they would be moving up to senior level next year, and they had to start trusting each other and talking about the problems they felt they had.

Meryl reached over and paused the music. 

"What are you worried about?"

"We've been juniors for so long. What if we aren't good enough? Everyone else has more experience, and-"

"They might have experience in competitions, but we have experience with each other. We're just as ready as everyone else."

Charlie was silent as he thought that over before voicing another concern. "Are you thinking about the Olympics?"

"That's what we're shooting for, isn't it?"

"The Olympics is big."

Meryl nodded. "Yeah, but everything we want is big. We want national titles, world titles, Olympic titles. We want to be the best."

"I think we can be the best."

"I do too."

The twizzles were fine. The step sequence Meryl was worried about was fine. Their lifts were fine. Everything was fine.

Fine wasn't enough to be the best.

"We'll have a better practice tomorrow. Don't stress about it."

Charlie huffed. "Did you see Marina eying us during the diagonal step? She was in a lesson and still judging our every move!"

"Everyone's watching us, Charlie. They all know what we want."

They collapsed on opposite sides of the empty locker room and sighed simultaneously.

"It was so much easier when we were kids," Charlie announced. "Actually, no, because we ARE still kids!"

"Do you want to quit?"

"No, but I mean, we shouldn't have to deal with so much pressure, you know? We're still young."

"If we want to do well as seniors, which we do, pressure comes with the territory, Charlie. You know that. We know that. We're ready for it."

Charlie's eyes darkened. "We deserve to have fun. One last time. For one last summer. Before we have to be seniors and responsible and focused on goals. Before the real hard work never ends. We deserve this summer."

Meryl frowned. "Yeah, I guess. But really we should be preparing-"

"One bad thing. One more irresponsible thing." He was practically begging her now. "We each get one more bad thing that we can do that we won't be able to next year when we're responsible and grown up and dedicated."

Meryl opened her mouth to inform him that maybe he wasn't dedicated or responsible or grown up yet, but she was and she was ready to be a national champion and sacrifice everything she had to for an Olympic gold medal, but then she saw the gleam in his eyes. And then he crossed the room and was standing next to her.

And she knew what his one last bad thing would be. 

And she knew what hers would be.

His lips were on hers and she remembered Marina and her mom and his mom and their dads and their old coach Seth and all their mentors and role models over the years and what they'd all told them. She remembered every ice dance and pairs team that split or fell apart because of romantic involvement. She remembered her mom sitting her down when she was 13 and telling her that it was probably going to end in a choice between real, attainable, glorious success or Charlie White and being with him like she was starting to realize she wanted to be. She remembered telling herself that the gold medal was more important than what her thirteen year old girl hormones told her she wanted.

But then she forgot it all, and remembered she didn't care. She kissed him back like it was the first and last time, because it was, and because it probably would be. Because they realistically only had right now until someone realized they forgot their music or their guards and returned to the locker room and found them there. Because they didn't have all summer to waste if they were going to be prepared for their senior debut. Because everyone would be so disappointed if the promising young junior ice dance team ruined every hope they had and gave up on their dreams for a tiny sudden impulse. 

She kissed him back because he was her one last bad thing, and she was his.


	5. Glittery Game of Thrones

It was hidden in the bottom drawer of her mother's dresser underneath her favorite purple pajama pants that she never wore anymore because there were holes in the knees, but she also couldn't throw them out because they were her absolute favorite. She'd taken it because she realized there were bad words in it and it talked about things that Meryl certainly was NOT old enough to be reading about.

Meryl cried for a week.

He didn't understand what the big deal was because it was just a book, and there were plenty others to read. He offered her his Lord of the Rings book to distract her. She declined. Lord of the Rings wasn't as good, she insisted. It couldn't be. He shrugged and pulled her into the ice with him so they wouldn't be late for their lesson.

He bought it at the school book fair, because it was her absolute favorite so it had to be good. And also because he could give it to her after he was finished and see the way her eyes lit up in excitement like they did when she talked about it. It was as good as she'd said, he realized. He felt bad for doubting her. He bought a second copy so he could keep one for himself and still surprise her.

It was the best birthday present ever, she decided, and she told him so repeatedly after throwing her arms around him and squealing and kissing his cheek. He blushed, pleased.

They left their backpacks side by side at their table while they skated, his dark green and hers purple with pink dots. Their math books were open on top, untouched, and their pencils somewhere on the ground from when one of them ("He started it!" "Did not! She did!) initiated a sword fight. Their moms found them for their reckless children and started packing up their homework so they could leave as soon as their ice time was over. They found identical books in each of their backpacks. Two copies of A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, tattered from rereading and dog-eared on several pages.

She scolded Meryl immediately ("You knew better! I took this away for a reason!" "But mom, it's not the one you took!"), and his mother soon caught on and was reprimanding him as well. They dutifully sat side by side through the rant, his hand on top of hers between them. They lagged behind the two angry mothers as they left the rink and he leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Told you winter is coming."

She looked at him seriously and assured him, "My direwolf will protect us."

They both got banned from tv and movie watching for a week, and together they lamented the loss of their books together when they were allowed to see each other, which was only at the rink until their punishments were over.

"Arctic Edge Book Extravaganza!" The poster said. It would be the first one ever.

Their mothers were out in the lobby paying at the desk for their ice time. Meryl looked over at Charlie mischievously.

"Ready for the sequel?"


End file.
